Vacuum cleaner



March 9, 1937.

H. c. FLiNT VACUUM CLEANER Filed Nov. 29, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 9, 1937. c F| |NT 2,073,145

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Nov. 29, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "W H IHEI I I. l I 63 .52 46 4862251 M 62' 6 g 8 I? lliil; (1%? 1 v} Jiwenfi; J4 4 1 Ayala! cu/mze Patented Mar. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VACUUM CLEANER Hyland 0. Flint, Chicago, Ill. Application November 29, 1933, Serial No. 700,168

Claims.

This invention relates to vacuum cleaners and has special reference to a' machine for cleaning floor coverings or other surfaces, the machine employing a brush of a non-rotary type associat- 5 ed with suction devices. 7

More particularly, this invention relates to a vacuum cleaner having a suction nozzle and a brush mounted adjacent the nozzle to have continuous movement in a direction across the 10 paths of movement of the vacuum cleaner when the latter is operated in forwardly and rearwardly directions. In the preferred form of this invention a plurality of brush members are mounted on an endless carrier, which latter is supported and actuated by spaced pulleys, the circumferential portion of the pulleys lying in a horizontal plane and the brush members depending from the carrier for engagement with the surface to be cleaned. The pulleys are preferably mounted at the ends of and between spaced suction nozzles, the brush members having movement along and adjacent to the suction ducts. have continuous engagement with the surfaces to be cleaned and in this manner obtain a sweeping action such as is derived from the use of an ordinary broom when operated by hand.

It has been noted that lint, string, or other foreign substances never fail to be picked up from a smooth surface or loosened from the nap of a rug by a broom when the latter is manually manipulated and the present invention has been carried out in accordance with this theory to impart such sweeping action in combination with a suction device. Aside, however, from the general idea involved in sweeping with the usual broom, it is to be further noted in the present invention that when the brushes are mounted on a belt or other carrier moving parallel to the floor that the brushes may operate in two or more directions across the paths of movement of the vacuum cleaner when operated in forwardly and rearwardly directions, the suction openings of the nozzles being outside the brushes so that lint, string, or other foreign substances will first be swept in one direction to break the contact thereof with the nap and thereafter will be subject to a reverse action as the second series of brushes pass thereover to be freed of the nap and to be picked up by either suction duct, depending upon the direction of movement of the vacuum cleaner. The foreign substance, therefore, will have its contact broken with the 55 p the after the brushes pass thereover The movable brush members preferably in the first direction and will be freed from the nap in the reverse direction of movement of the succeeding brush members and in the case of lint or string, this reverse movement actually rolls the lint or string into a ball, whereafter 5 the following suction duct will direct the disposal of the foreign substance to the depository of the cleaner.

The type of vacuum cleaner now prominent upon the market employs the revolving or rotating type of brush therein, the bristles being mounted on a cylinder or shaft that revolves rapidly and imparts a contact with the carpet or other surface to be cleaned which contact exists a very small part of the fractional part ofa second. The high speed rotary shaft has an actuation similar to that of a grass cutter and so far as it is apparent to applicant, the manner of operation and the high speed of rotation tends to pound the foreign substances into the nap rather than to remove or to loosen the same. This high speed rotation is an unnatural operation and is more or less destructive to the nap of the rug, the. method departing radically from the simple and most emcient method of sweeping action obtained with the hand manipulated broom. The action of the construction of the present application across the paths of movement of the vacuum cleaner is accomplished in a gentle yet positive manner by the use preferably of reduction gearing between the motor shaft and the pulleys so that the belt on which the series of brushes are mounted will move at a sufficiently slow speed to provide emcient sweeping and yet to receive no beating or tearing action at the nap. I

So far as applicant is aware, there are no vacuum cleaners on the market today which will efficiently clean surfaces adjacent to walls, that is, where the brushing action may take place substantially at the wall or baseboard. 1 In the present construction, the brushes are brought substantially to the end of the cleaner where the belt or carrier passes around the pulleys, thereby making it possible to get close to, if not actually in contact with the baseboards and furniture to agitate the nap in corners and in other close places.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner of the type above noted in which the-brush has a continuous movement in a direction across the paths of movement of the vacuum cleaner when the vacuum cleaner is operated in forwardly and rearwardly directions.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinaft r more particularly pointed out and for a more complete understandin of the characteristic features of this invention reference may now be had to the following description when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which latter:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a vacuum cleaner embodying the features of this invention in which a rear end portion thereof is broken away;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of Figure 1 showing a portion of the forward end of the vacuum cleaner broken away to expose thebrush elements and carrier thereof;

Fig. 3 is aside elevational view of Fig. 2 showing a portion thereof broken away to disclose the brush elements, carrier and a portion of the operating mechanism thereof;

Fig. 4 is an underneath plan view of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a modified form of the invention disclosed in the present application showing a rear end portion of the vacuum cleaner broken away;

Fig. 6 is an underneath plan view of Fig. 5 with interior sections of the vacuum cleaner broken away;

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of another modified form of the invention disclosed in this application with a front portion of the vacuum cleaner broken away to show the brush elements and carrier therefor; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 -of Fig. 7.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, thereof, the device of this invention is shown as comprising a main body portion in the form of a hollow casing i0 having a motor housing ll mounted on the upper flat surface of a fan housing portion l2. The housing I I encloses an electric motor generally indicated by the numeral l3, and the housing l2 encloses a fan or impeller l4. A suitable electric circuit is provided for connection with any source of electric current and in such circuit is a switch member l5 for external operation preferably suitably mounted on the motor casing. The motor is provided with an extending motor shaft l6 on which. extension the fan I4 is mounted, the shaft extending preferably through the casing l0 and having secured to its outer end preferably a bevel gear H.

A pair ofelongated suction nozzles 18' and I9 extend .forwardly and downwardly from the tion l2 'for communication therewith and the lower end of the nozzles extending to adjacent the surface to be cleaned. The communicating openopening 2! of the other nozzle iii in order to provide a uniform suction at the operating head portion thereof. These communicating openings 20 and 21 are directed into a common chamber 22 formed in the main body portion adjacent the fan housing portion I2.

A pair of pulleys 23 and 24 are mounted on a plate portion 25 extending between the nozzles l8 and I9, one pulley being preferably disposed adjacent to each end of the elongated nozzle. The peripheral portions of the pulleys are preferably V-shaped to receive a preferably endless V- shaped belt 26 or other carrier. One only of the pulleys need be driven in order to drive the belt or carrier 26, and for purposes of illustration the pulley 24 is mounted on a shaft which extends through the plate portion 25 to receive preferably a bevel gear 21 in fixed relation to rotate therewith. The bevel ear 21. in turn, engages a bevel gear 28 which is mounted on the end of a horizontally extending shaft 29, which latter is supported at one end by the rear nozzle and at the other end by a bracket 30 extending from the chamber 22. A bevel gear 3| is fixedly mounted on the shaft 29 and engages the bevel gear I! on the motor shaft l6.

Suitable brush members 32 are mounted on the carrier 26 to depend therefrom. for engagement with the surface to be cleaned. By reason of the brush members being mounted on .the endless carrier such as the V-belt 26'and such carrier being mounted and held by the pulleys 23 and 24, the belt and brushes will travel parallel to the floor. It may be desirable to employ intermediate guiding means between'the pulleys and such means'are shown in the form of V- shaped pulleys 33, although it is to be understood that there may be other suitable forms of guides or positioning members.

In the operation of the brush members for cleaning, the motor I3 through its shaft l6 drives the shaft 29 by reason of the engagement of the bevel gears." and 3|], the shaft 29, in turn, driving the belt 26 by means of the bevel gear 28 operating the bevel gear 21 and thence the pulley 24. The movement ofthe vacuum cleaner as a unit is accomplished through the provision of supporting wheels 34 mounted on a shaft 35. which latter is mounted between and on brackets 36 secured to an outer face of the rear nozzle 19. At the rear of the'main body portion I0 is mounted a depending leg 3'! in which is Journalled a castor or wheel 38, which wheel together with thewheels 34 affords a mobile support for the entire unit. Ordinarily, the wheel 38 is swivelled and'vertically adjustable with reference to the leg3'l in order respectively to guide the direction. of the machine and to tilt the forward end of' the machine to a position where the brusheswill contact with the different supporting surfaces to be cleaned.

A forked handle 39 is pivotally attached to the sides of thecasing l2 for propulsion and handling of the apparatus. The casing I2 is further provided with a flanged outlet 40 to which may be attached a dirt receiving sack 4| of conventional or suitable construction, the supporting sack'being detachably engaged with the flange as by means of the usual thumb nuts and screws 42.

The vacuum cleaner is moved in a forwardly or rearwardly direction by means of the handle 39 when the motor i3 is in operation, the motor causing a. high speed revolution of the fan H to cause a suction through the nozzles i8 and I9. The motor through its chain of gears also causes a relatively slow continuous movement of the brushes in a direction across the paths of move ment of the vacuum cleaner when operated in these forwardly and rearwardly directions to break the contact of-lint or string or other foreign substances from the surface to be cleaned and render them readily susceptible to the action of the suction device for removal and deposit in the bag 4|. The movement of the brushes in a direction across the paths of movement of the vacuum cleaner provides a cross or reverse action on the foreign substances due to the fact' that the brush elements are-mounted on a belt which moves parallel to the floor in two directions in passing over the foreign substances. This action provides that the lint, string, or other particles will be first swept in one direction to break contact with the nap and then will be subjected to a reverse action as the brushes pass thereover in the opposite direction to be picked up by the suction duct following the brushes, depending upon which direction the vacuum cleaner is being operated. In this manner, a sweeping action is had rather than a beating action which is common in the prior art.

It will be noted from an observation of Fig. 4 that the brush elements extend substantially to the end of the machine and thus in cleaning a rug lying closely adjacent to a baseboard that it is possible to agitate the foreign substances on the rug practically at the baseboard.

It is to be noted that a wide variety of brushmembers and carrier elements may be adapted to carry out the features of this invention and that the form of the sweeper may be differently arranged and yet embody the teachings of the resent invention. Referring, therefore, to Figs. 5 and 6, the same features above pointed out are embodied in a different form of housing, forward nozzle ducts 43 and 44 extending in the shape of a V rather than in a single nozzle of straight line as shown in the previous described embodiment. As a matter of fact, it is possible to incorporate the sweeping action in any polygonal shape with the use of a. plurality of communicating or separate suction ducts, the brushes following and lying closely adjacent to the vari-' us ducts. The shape of the present form is for the purpose of cleaning corners and other places normally inaccessible with ordinary cleaners, the present device reaching in the corners and cleaning the same with facility. The only dissimiarity in actual construction between the present form and that form previously discussed is in the provision of the V-shaped forward and providing nozzles 43 and 44 and in the provision of a pulley 45 at the vortex of the V-shaped member.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 7 and ii. a pair of spaced nozzles 46 and 41 are shown between which are mounted a'pair of endless belts or other carriers 48 and 49. The carrier 48 is mounted for support and actuation between a pair of pulleys 50 and 5| the pulleys having their circumferential portions extending vertically. Suitable guiding means 52 are mounted intermediate the pulleys 50 and 5| and preferably comprise pulleys. All of the pulleys may be V-shaped for receiving an endless Veshaped belt 53 upon which brush elements 54 are mounted. The carrier 49 is likewise supported. by pulleys 55 and 56 and have guiding means preferably in the form of pulleys 51 disposed intermediate thereof. All of these pulleys may likewise be v-shaped for receiving a V-shaped belt 58 upon which brushes 59 are mounted.

The pulleys 50 and 55 of the respective carriers may be suitably driven'as by means of the drive shaft 50 suitably connected to the motor shaft. 9.

bevel gear 6| being mounted on the end of the shaft 80 for engagement withanother bevel gear 62 mounted on the end of a shaft 53 suitably mounted in brackets on a plate 54. The plate 64 may preferably be formed integrally with the nozzle housing or may be formed separately as desired. A bevel gear 65 is mounted in the other end of the shaft 63 for engagement with bevel gears 66 and 61 mounted on a stud shaft secured to a bracket 68' mounted on the plate 64. The gears 66 and 61 rotate freely'with respect to the stud shaft mounted in the bracket 68, although they are fixedly attached to the pulleys 50 and 55. Thus, a rotation of the shaft 80 driven by the motor operates the train of gears to revolve the pulleys 50 and. 55 in opposite directions so that the brushes 54 have continuous movement in the opposite direction from the brushes 59.

In this embodiment as in the previously described embodiments, the brushes mounted adjacent the nozzles have continuous movement in a direction across the paths of movement when operated in forwardly and rearwardly directions. One of the brush sections preferably operates in one direction across the path of movement of the vacuum cleaner while the other brush section operates in the opposite direction although across the paths of movement of the vacuum cleaner.

While several embodiments of this invention are herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various modifications thereof may be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention and, therefore, the same are only to be limited by the scope of the prior art and the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1-. In combination with a vacuum cleaner having an elongated suction nozzle, pulleys mounted outside of and adjacent each end of said nozzle, means for actuating said pulleys, an endless carrier supported and operatedin a horizontal plane by said pulleys, said carrier having a continuous movement in a direction across the path of movement of said vacuum cleaner when operated in forwardly and rearwardly directions, and a brush mounted on said carrier for movement therewith and for contact with a surface to be cleaned.

2. In combination with a vacuum cleaner having suction nozzles spaced in a substantially parallel relation, a pair of pulleys mounted in a horizontal plane in the space between said nozzles, means for actuating said pulleys, an endless carrier supported and operated by said pul- .leys, said carrier having a continuous movement between said nozzles in a direction across the path of movement of said vacuum cleaner when operated in a forwardly and rearwardly direc tion, and, a plurality of brush members mounted on said carrier for movement therewith and for contact with a surface to be cleaned.

3. In combination with a vacuum cleaner having spaced suction nozzle portions, a plurality of ,vacuum cleaner when operated in a forwardly and rearwardly direction, and a plurality of brush members mounted on said carrier for movement therewith and for contact with a surface to be cleaned.

4. In combination with a vacuum cleaner having suction nozzles spaced in a substantially parallel relation, a pulley at each end of said nozzles and lying between the inner confines thereof, the pulleys being pivoted on vertical axes and lying in a common horizontal plane, means for actuating said pulleys, an endless carrier supported and operated by said pulleys, said carrier having a continuous movement adjacent said nozzles in a direction across the path of movement of said vacuum cleaner when operated in a forwardly and rearwardly direction, and a plurality of brush members depending from said carrier for movement therewith and for contact with" a surface to be cleaned.

HYLAND C. FLINT. 

